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Cutworm

Overview

Cutworm can be a serious insect pest in field corn and certain vegetable crops. A single black cutworm can consume up to 4-5 plants in the course of its larval cycle. Multiply this across a section of a given field with heavy populations, and you might find entire sections of a field ‘wiped out’ by a serious cutworm infestation.

(Image Credit: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org)

Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

Types of Cutworms

There are several types of cutworm. The general term cutworm applies mainly to larvae of various species in the Noctuidae, a large family of moths; however many Noctuid species are not cutworms, and some ‘cutworms’, so named because of their habit in the larval stage, are not Noctuids.

Cutworms are notorious agricultural and garden pests. They are voracious leaf, bud, and stem feeders and can destroy entire plants. They get their name from their habit of "cutting" off a seedling at or just below ground level by chewing through the stem, or by virtue of wrapping their body around the stem and in the process of working back and forth, cut the stem off at or just below the ground surface. Some species of cutworm can feed on the roots of plants, as well.

Cutworm Risk

In agronomic crops, especially corn, the most prevalent and damaging forms of cutworm are Black Cutworm and Variegated Cutworm; and between these, the Black Cutworm is most notorious in field corn. Cutworm adults (moths) are migratory, moving north from warmer regions to arrive in corn and other fields where they will lay their eggs from March through May and into June, depending on how late your spring season arrives.

They will lay eggs in annual grass weeds and winter annual weeds which have actively live vegetative targets for the female moths. This is why some of the best targets are minimum and no-till fields; or soybean fields with winter annual weeds are present prior to growing corn in the rotation. The damage occurs from the hatching larvae after the moths lay their eggs.

There are other field and environmental conditions which increase the risk for cutworm damage. Seasonal shifts in predominant winds, especially in a cold and wet spring; come together to create favorable conditions for cutworm to become an economic pest in a given area. Many farmers and advisors will literally characterize a given season as a ‘cutworm year’.

The following risk factors affect the probability of a black cutworm problem developing  one way or another:

  • Fall plowing reduces the likelihood of cutworm problems.

  • Plowing late in the spring, especially if a sod or with a heavy winter annual or perennial weed presence increases cutworm risk due to the egg laying sites they afford.

  • Corn following beans increases the risk when overwintering weed populations are present at egg laying time.

  • Late planted corn increases their likelihood for economic damage.

  • Minimum tillage or no-till where overwintering weed kill is delayed past egg laying time.

  • Low lying, wetter soils, where weeds were prevalent prior to tillage or knockdown; and corn is stressed are also good targets for cutworm.

  • Wet years with cold springs and delayed planting are at risk to create a ‘cutworm year.'

How to Control Cutworms

At-planting, preventative use of insecticides for cutworm on its own are not usually a good economic choice for a number of reasons. If using a soil insecticide to curb corn rootworm, there may be a minimal amount of control for cutworm; but in heavy infestation ‘years’, the crop still might need a cutworm treatment when scouted properly.

Another factor contributing to challenges with cutworm infestations is timing of treatment. Once the cutworm larvae have advanced into later instars of development three conditions exist. First, insecticides applied are not very effective on large worms, above instar 6-7. Second, once well into these instars, the cutworm actually slow down prior to pupation. Finally, cutworm in these later instars will ‘pupate out’ into their resting phase within 7-10 days. Remember, however, that even though they may slow down, they are also more hungry so if the background population is well above economic threshold, replanting may be your only option. Cutworms must be detected soon after hatch for in-season control to be effective.

Best Approaches to Addressing Cutworms

Understanding the life cycle of cutworm, practicing good weed control, and scouting at (or before) egg hatch are the best approaches for cutworm management. Many states now utilize pheromone and sticky traps to predict activity and populations of adult moths. Referring to and tracking growing degree days, which can predict general dates of egg hatch, can also be useful. You’ll know when to look for early feeding evidence in time to implement chemical controls.

When scouting for cutworm, remember they are actually nocturnal in nature, so they may not be immediately evident during the heat of the day. They will also go deeper into the soil if weather conditions are dry. Look for leaf feeding and ‘shothole’ damage. This type of damage occurs when the worm works through the leaf before it unfurls. Upon opening up, a sequence of holes equal in size are evident across the leaf, perpendicular to the veins. When you find what you think is evidence, spread a sample of soil onto a white surface and look closely for the larvae.

Economic thresholds are driven by three factors, considered simultaneously:

  • Percentage of cut or damaged plants.

  • Stage of growth of the corn.

  • Average stage of development of the cutworm larvae (instar)

Consult your state’s recommendations via your County Extension Office or Certified Crop Advisor for thresholds and controls. In addition, sign up for a reliable source of timely scouting data and alerts, especially from regions to your south.

Disclaimer

The information provided above was authored by John Diebel and provided by Farmers Business Network, Inc. for informational purposes only. It does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of a particular course of action or product. Please conduct your own due diligence prior to selecting a particular course of action or product.

Every product that labels CUTWORM as a weed, pest, or disease the product can be applied against is shown below. Click any product for label and more information.
2% Sevin® BaitAcceleron® INT-710Acelepryn®Acelepryn® GAcelepryn™ 0.067% plus Pro-Mate® T&O FertilizerAcenthrin™Acephate 90 PrillAcephate 90 Prill Select™Acephate 90 WDGAcephate 90 WSPAcephate 97 WDGAcephate 97UP®Acronyx™ 2 FlowableAcronyx™ 4 FAdmire® ProAdvise® 2FLAdvise® FourAeris® Seed-Applied Insecticide/NematicideAgree® WG Biological InsecticideAlias® 2FAlias® 4FAllectus® SCAloft® GC GAloft® GC SCAmbush® 25WAmbush® InsecticideAnnex® LFR®Annihilate™ LVAnnihilate™ LV InsecticideAnnihilate™ SPAnnihilate™ SP InsecticideApta®Arctic® 3.2 ECArena® 0.25 G Insecticide¹Arena® 50 WDG Insecticide¹Arena® S.E. 50 WDGArgyle™ ODAsana® XLAthena™ Insecticide/MiticideAtrevia™ 3.0% SLAvenger™ Bold S3™Avenger™ S3™Aza-Direct®AzaGuard® Botanical Insecticide/NematicideAzatin® OAzatrol® EC InsecticideAzatrol® Hydro Botanical InsecticideAzera® InsecticideAztec® 2.1% Granular InsecticideAztec® 4.67 GAztec® HCAztec® HC SmartCartridge™Aztec® SmartBox® 4.67 GBatallion™ 10 WSPBatallion™ 2 ECBatallion™ LFCBattery® 2.5 ECBaythroid® XLBelt® SCBesiege® InsecticideBexar®Bi-Dash 2EBidrin® XP IIBifen 2 AG GoldBifen 25% ECBifender® FC InsecticideBifenthrin 2EC InsecticideBifenture® 10DFBifenture® ECBifenture® LFCBiobit® HP Biological InsecticideBioCeres® GRBioST™ Insecticide 100BioST™ Nematicide 100Bisect® LBolton™Bracket® 90 WDGBracket® 97Bracket® 97 (Soluble Insecticide)Bracket® 97 WDGBrandt® Antixx® PlusBrigade® 2EC Insecticide/MiticideBrigade® WSB InsecticideBrigadier® InsecticideBT Now®Bug-N-Sluggo®Capture® 2EC-CALCapture® 3RIVE 3DCapture® LFR®Carbaryl 4LCarbaryl 4LCarbaryl 5% BaitCarbaryl Cutworm BaitCavalry™ IICedar Gard™Cheminova Malathion® 57%Chlorpyrifos 15GChlorpyrifos 4E AGChlorpyrifos 4E-AGCobalt® AdvancedCobalt® InsecticideConfirm® 2F InsecticideConsero®Consero® (Gamma-cyhalothrin)Conserve® SC Insect ControlCoragen® eVo Insect ControlCoragen® Insect ControlCoragen® Insect ControlCortes™ Maxx InsecticideCounter® 15-G Lock'n Load®Counter® 15G Smartbox®Counter® 20G Lock'n Load®Counter® 20G Smartbox®Counter® 20G SmartCartridge®Couraze® 2FCouraze® 4Couraze® 4FCriterion™ 0.5 GCriterion™ 2F InsecticideCriterion™ 75 WSP InsecticideCrossoverCrossover® ProCrusader 2MECrusader® 1ECDanitol® 2.4 EC Spray Insecticide-MiticideDeadlock™ GDebug® ONDebug® ONDebug® OptimoDebug® OptimoDebug® TresDebug® TresDebug® TurboDebug® TurboDecathlon™ 20 WPDeclare® InsecticideDeclare® InsecticideDefcon® 4.67GDefcon™ 2.1GDelegate® WG InsecticideDeliver® Biological InsecticideDelta Gold®Demand® GDiamid™ T&ODiamond®Diamond® 0.83ECDiazinon 50WDiazinon AG500Diazinon AG500Diazinon AG600 WBC InsecticideDiPel® DF Biological InsecticideDiPel® Pro DF Biological Insecticide Dry FlowableDiscipline® 2ECDiscipline® CADominus®DoubleTake™Dursban® 50W-WSP Specialty InsecticideDylox® 6.2 Granular InsecticideEcozin® Plus 1.2% MEElevest™Empower 2®Endigo® ZCEndigo® ZCXEnforce™ 75WSP Turf and Ornamental InsecticideEngame™Entrust® Naturalyte Insect ControlEntrust® SC Naturalyte Insect ControlEnvirepel 50™Envirepel-38™Ethos® 3D Insecticide/FungicideEthos® Elite LFR® Insecticide/BiofungicideEthos® XB Insecticide/FungicideExirel®Exirel® Insect Control (With Cyazypyr®)Fanfare® 2ECFanfare® ECFanfare® ESFastac® CS insecticideFastac™ EC insecticideFerence® InsecticideFirestone™First Choice® Carbaryl Cutworm BaitForce® 10G HL SmartBox®Force® 10G HL Smartcartridge™Force® 3GForce® 3G SmartBox®Force® 6.5GForce® CSForce® EvoFortenza®Fortress® 5G InsecticideFrenzy AttackFrenzy VelozFurious® InsecticideFyfanon®Fyfanon® 57% ECFyfanon® Plus ULVGCS Bifenthrin 2ECGCS Bifenthrin LFCGCS Methoxy 2FGladiator® Insecticide/MiticideGovern® 4EGrandevo®Grandevo® CGGrandevo® WDGGrizzly® TooGrizzly® Z InsecticideHarvanta® 50SL InsecticideHatchet® InsecticideHero® EWHero® InsecticideHolster™ Insecticide (Caution)Holster™ Insecticide (Warning)IMAX PlusImidashot DF InsecticideIndex® Liquid At-Plant InsecticideInspirato™ 2 FInsurgent™Intrepid Edge®Intrepid® 2F InsecticideInvertid 2FInvicar™ 2 SCJackpot™ WPJavelin® WG Biological InsecticideJustice®Kaiso® 24 WGKarate® InsecticideKarate® with Zeon™ TechnologyKendo® 22.8 CSKendo™ InsecticideKibosh™ SCKilter®L - C InsecticideLada® 2FLada® 75WSP InsecticideLambda TLambda-Cy AGLambda-Cy™ EC Insecticide-RUPLambdafos™ InsecticideLamcap® IILamcap™Lamdec™ InsecticideLancer® 2ECLancer® FCLannate® LVLannate® LV InsecticideLannate® SPLannate® SPLannate® SPLanveer LV™Leap® ESLeprotec®Leverage® 360Livid® 90 PrillLivid® 97 PrillLock-On® InsecticideLorsban® 15G Granular InsecticideLorsban® 15G Smartbox®Lorsban® 75 WGLorsban® Advanced InsecticideLorsban®-4E InsecticideLumiderm®Lumiderm™ (DuPont)Lumisure®Lunge™ InsecticideM-Pede® Insecticide Miticide FungicideMachete® InsecticideMacho® 2.0 FLMacho® 4.0 FlowableMainspring® GNLMajestene®Malathion 5ECMalathion 8Malathion 8 FlowableMalathion 8-E InsecticideMalice® 0.5GMalice® 2FMalice® 75 WSPMallet® 0.5GMallet® 2 F T&O InsecticideMallet® 75 WSP InsecticideManticor™ LFR® In-Furrow Fungicide/InsecticideMantra® 1G Greenhouse and NurseryMantra® 60 WSPMarathon® 1% GMarathon® 1% GranularMarathon® 60 WPMarathon® IIMarathon® IIMatch-Up™ InsecticideMatchPoint®Mavrik Aquaflow®Menace® 7.9% FlowableMenace® GC 7.9% FlowableMerit® 0.5 GMerit® 2FMerit® 2F InsecticideMerit® 75 WPMerit® 75 WSPMidash 2SC Ag InsecticideMidash Forte InsecticideMinecto® ProMineiro™ 2 FMocap® 15% Granular Lock’N LoadMocap® 15% Granular Nematicide-InsecticideMolt-X®Montana® 2FMontana® 4FMustang® InsecticideMustang® MaxxNeemix® 4.5 Insect Growth RegulatorNipsIt INSIDE® InsecticideNudrin® LVNudrin® SPNufarm Chlorpyrifos SPC 2Nufarm Chlorpyrifos SPC 2.32% GNufarm Chlorpyrifos SPC 4Nufarm Lambda-Cyhalothrin 1EC InsecticideNufos® 4E (RUP)Nuprid® 2SC Soil/Foliar InsecticideNuprid® 4.6F ProOmni® Brand Imidacloprid 2F Flowable InsecticideOrthene® 97Orthene® Turf, Tree & Ornamental 97 SprayOrthene® Turf,Tree & Ornamental WSPParadigm®Paradigm® VCPerm-UP® 25DFPerm-UP® 3.2 ECPermaStar™ AG InsecticidePermethrinPermethrin 3.2 AGPermethrin 3.2 ECPermethrin 3.2 EC (70506-9-5905)Permethrin Cutworm BaitPhoenix Firebird® ProPhoenix Hawk-I® 2LPhoenix Hawk-I® 75WSPPoncho® 600 Seed TreatmentPoncho® BetaPounce® 1.5GPounce® 25WPPrecept™ InsecticidePrevathon® (Dupont)Prevathon® (FMC)Pro-Mate® BifenthrinProaxis® InsecticideProaxis® InsecticideProaxis™PROKIL Cryolite 50 DustPROKIL Cryolite 96PROKoZ® Zenith® 0.5 GPROKoZ® Zenith® 75 WSPProvaunt®Province® IIProvince™Provoke™Radiant® SC InsecticideRavage®Renestra™ InsecticideRespect® EC insecticideRespect® insecticideReveal®Reveal® CAReveal® Endurx™Revere® 2.0Ridgeback™Ruckus™ LFR® InsecticideS-FenvaloStarSaurus™Scimitar® CSScimitar® GCSeduce®Seeker™ Insecticide with Isoclast™ ActiveSeguroSerpent™ 1 ECSevin® 4FSevin® 5 BaitSevin® SLSevin® XLR PlusSilencer®Silencer® VXN™Skyraider®SlugbugSmartChoice® HCSmartChoice™ 5G Lock 'n LoadSmartChoice™ 5G SmartBoxSniper®Sniper® Helios®Sniper® LFR®Spear®-LepSpear®-RCSpinTor® 2SC Naturalyte® Insect ControlStallion® BrandSteed® InsecticideStiletto®Success® Naturalyte® Insect ControlSultrus™Surround® CF Crop ProtectantSurround® WP Crop ProtectantSuspend® SCSuspend® SCSwagger®Tailgunner™Talstar® S Select InsecticideTemitry™ LFR®Tempest™ Dual-Action InsecticideTempo® SC UltraTempo® SC UltraTempo® Ultra WPTenkoz® Acephate 97Tenkoz® Cypermethrin (Caution)Tenkoz® Cypermethrin (Warning)Tenkoz® Permethrin 3.2 ECTepera® PlusTepera® Plus HDTepera® Plus HDTetrino®Tetrino™Tide Acephate 90 WDGTide Imidacloprid 2FTide Imidacloprid 4FTombstone™Tombstone™ Helios®Torac®Tourismo®Triple Crown™ Golf InsecticideTriple Crown™ InsecticideTroubadour™ 2F InsecticideTundra® EC (1381-196)Tundra® LFCTundra® SupremeTurnStyle™ InsecticideUP-Cyde® 2.5 ECUP-Star® GC GranularUp-Star® GoldUP-Star® Gold GranularUp-Star® SC Lawn and NurseryVantacor®Venerate® CGVenerate® XCVenerate™Verdepryn™ 100SL InsecticideVerimark®Verimark® Insect ControlVetica® InsecticideVexer™Viloprid™ FC 1.7Voliam Flexi®Voliam Xpress®Voltage Endurx®Vulcan®Warhawk®Warhawk® ClearForm®Warrior II with Zeon Technology®Whirlwind®Widow® InsecticideWillowood Bifenthrin 2ECWillowood Imidacloprid 2SCWillowood Imidacloprid 4SCWillowood Lambda 1ECWillowood Lambda-Cy 1ECWisdom® EZWisdom® FlowableWisdom® G L/NWisdom® TC FlowableWrangler® InsecticideWrath® InsecticideXenTari® Biological InsecticideXpedient® Plus™Xpedient® Plus™ VYuma® 4EZelto®Zylam® 20SG Systemic Turf InsecticideZylam® Liquid Systemic InsecticideZylo® InsecticideZyrate®